Click HERE for a downloadable Workshop Decription document

Education Workshops

Basic Rights in Special Education (Children and Youth Ages 3-21)
This workshop focuses on how to access special education and related services for children with disabilities. Participants will learn the laws that affect special education in Rhode Island and will receive an overview of parents’ rights and responsibilities. Also available in Spanish. (2 hours)

Individualized Education Program (IEP): A Blueprint for Student Success (for Children and Youth Ages 3-21)
Each public school child who receives special education and related services must have an IEP designed to meet his/her unique needs. The foundation of this program is the IEP which is developed by a team of individuals which includes the parent(s). This workshop provides an overview of the major components of the IEP as well as a step by step walkthrough of RI’s newly designed IEP form. Two different workshops are offered: Pre-school / Elementary or Secondary Transition. Secondary transition level workshop also covers the Secondary Transition IEP for students 14 years or older and includes post-school goals in areas of employment, education and training and where appropriate, independent living skills. (2 hours) Prerequisite: Basic Rights in Special Education

The Successful IEP Meeting
The objectives of this workshop are to provide ideas on how to prepare for your child’s IEP meeting, define the family’s role and discuss practical ways to advocate for your child. Questions will be answered on what to bring to the IEP meeting and how to organize and present information that represents your child’s best interests. This workshop is also appropriate in preparation for Section 504 meetings. The content of this workshop focuses on meeting skills and does not provide a walkthrough of the IEP form. This curriculum was developed in collaboration with the Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities. (2 hours)

Packing for the Future: Preparing for Life After High School
Packing for the Future, is presented as a skit, based on the life of a student with special needs ages 14-21. The objective of this workshop is to understand the inclusion of the student in the transition planning process. The presentation will depict the programs and services that may be available for the students who are preparing for life after high school. Participants will have the opportunity to raise questions at the end of the short drama. (1.5 hours)

College Success for Students with Disabilities
The focus of this workshop is to help parents and teachers prepare students with special learning needs who are considering higher education as an option in their transition plan. The roles of parents, teachers and students will be discussed in addition to the supports and goals needed to prepare a student for admission into college. This workshop is most appropriate for those who have students finishing middle school or presently at the high school level. (2 hours)

Getting and Keeping the First Job
Families who understand the world of work and maintain high expectations of their youth, play a pivotal role in the employment success of youth with disabilities. Although the transition from school to adulthood can be an uncertain time for youth with disabilities and their families, one critical component is the building of work skills that lead to competitive employment. Participants will learn about strategies that help youth keep the jobs they get in addition to receiving additional resources. ( 2 hours)

Section 504 - A Parent’s Guide
A basic overview of Section 504 will be discussed along with basic changes to the law. Participants will learn how this pertains to children with disabilities and includes an exploration of how some students may now qualify for additional supports and accommodations in public schools. (2 hours) 

Skills to Effective Parent Advocacy
Every parent wants to see their child happy, healthy, and part of their community. The goal of this presentation is to empower parents so they can become effective advocates for their children and receive the services their child needs. The intended audience for this training is parents of children with disabilities. (2 hours)

Early Intervention Workshops

Transition from Early Intervention (Children Birth to Age 3)
Participants will learn about the support services necessary to design and implement a successful transition from Early Intervention. The transition plan and differences in systems will be explored. (2 hours)

Health & Policy Workshops

Teens & Health Care Transition - A Team Sport!
Taking care of our health is an essential component of growing up and living a full life. This presentation will use a familiar metaphor “Life is a Game” to inform and engage participants in activities that will improve the health transition of our teens to adult care. Participants will learn the core areas of successful transition and gain information and tools to achieve success in a youth’s health care transition. (2 hours)

Options for Medical Assistance
This workshop covers the who, what, where, when, and why of Rhode Island Medical Assistance, Katie Beckett, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), RIte Care, and Comprehensive Evaluation Diagnosis Assessment Referral Re-evaluation (CEDARR) will be explored. (2 hours)

Public Policy 101
Recent budget cuts on federal, state and local level have severely impacted one out of every five families who are now scrambling for answers, assistance and resources. This training provides families with the tools necessary to navigate the political arena and advocate for their children. Participants will learn the fundamentals of government, how to compose letters to congressmen and provide testimony thus enhancing their advocacy skills. (2 hours)

Training Opportunities

SEAC (Special Education Advisory Committee) Strategies for Success

RIPIN is offering an exciting training opportunity for Special Education Directors and the districts/schools they serve. Rhode Island has always valued home/school collaboration at the local level and shows its commitment to parent involvement by mandating Local Advisory Committees on Special Education through state statute. Rhode Island’s legal requirement gives all districts the responsibility and authority to ensure parents have the opportunity to be involved.

Topics include: Background & Basics, Recruiting & Retaining Members, Developing a Mission Statement, Strategies for Disseminating Information, Collaborative Leadership and Partnership, By-Laws, Running a Meeting, and Prioritizing Needs and Setting Goals.

The target audience for this comprehensive 15 hour training includes current parent leaders within local advisory committees, identified future parent leaders within a school district and district teams (2-4 parent leaders) developing a local advisory committee.

DATES: 3/4, 5/21, 3/28, 4/4, and 4/11/12 (5 three hour sessions)
TIME: 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
LOCATION: RIPIN, 1210 Pontiac Avenue, Cranston, RI
DISTRICT COST: $1,200 for maximum of four parent leaders
(includes all materials and four hours of follow-up technical assistance)

For further information, Special Education Directors should contact Deb Belanger, Training and Professional Development Manager at 270-0101, ext. 109 or belanger@ripin.org.

Support Group Facilitator Training
This training provides individuals with the tools necessary to start a support group. Participants will learn the basics of how to organize and maintain a support group while enhancing leadership skills. Participants and trainers will maintain contact as needed for technical assistance as new groups form until they become self-sustainable. (5 ½ hours)

MegaSkills ® Training Series

MegaSkills ®
This five session workshop series is designed to help parents support their child’s learning in school and beyond. Participants will learn fun, easy at home activities to encourage learning in the areas of Confidence, Motivation, Responsibility, Effort, Caring, Teamwork, Initiative, Perseverance, Common Sense, Problem Solving and Focus. Also available in Spanish.
(Each workshop is 1.5 hours for a series total of 7.5 hours).

Teen MegaSkills ®
This parent workshop series offers parents tips to help their teens develop and practice responsibility and to make responsible choices and decisions. It also explores the development of the teen brain. (Each workshop is 1.5 hours for a series total of 3 hours).

MegaSkills ® Leader Training
Participants in this full day training will learn how to facilitate the five basic MegaSkills ® sessions. Participants also must purchase leader kit which contains all handouts and activities for the series.

Parent Engagement Workshops

The Right Question
Learning how to ask effective questions is an important skill needed to help parents support, monitor and advocate for their child’s education. This workshop offers an opportunity to learn the Question Formulation Technique. Participants will practice their question formulation skills and apply them to a specific topic. (Also available in Spanish) (1.5 hours)

Ready for Kindergarten
This presentation teaches parents how they can help their child prepare for and do well in Kindergarten. Parents will learn how to use daily activities to help build social, language and thinking skills in order to put young students on the road to a successful academic future. (Also available in Spanish) (1.5 hours)

Basic Homework & Study Skills
This workshop will give parents tips on how they can help their child be successful in school and reduce the stress of homework. This workshop is appropriate for parents of students in grades 3 through 6. (1.5 hours)

College: The Right Choice for Your Future
Targeted for middle and high school students and their parents, and especially those who may have not yet considered college a possibility, this workshop discusses the benefits of attending college. It will include the search and application process, the different types of financial aid available, and the time-management and study skills needed to help them succeed in higher education. For those students who are college-bound, discussions will include how to avoid becoming overwhelmed by the process of planning, researching and selecting a college. This presentation is aligned to the American School Counselor Association’s standards for career development. (1.5 hours)

Parent Engagement Technical Assistance Workshops

Family Engagement Basics for Educations
Participants will learn how to apply the PTA Standards for Family Engagement to their work with families. The connection to educator evaluation will also be discussed.

 PTO University
 PTO members will learn about recruiting members, running effective meetings and dealing with conflict. Participants will also learn the roles and responsibilities of each of the officers.

Family Friendly Assessment
This process leads a school team in a walk through of their school to identify low cost ways to create a more welcoming and family friendly environment. Schools will receive a report with information that will help the school plan for improvements.

Technical Assistance
RIPIN staff will provide technical assistance to schools on the following topics:
• Family Engagement
• Parent Involvement Policies
• Title I Requirements for Parent Engagement

Technical Assistance on Family Engagement topics can be customized to meet the needs of a school or organization!